Hi.

I am searching for detailed information regarding the battle at Kyrenia on July 20th 1974 between Cyprus National Guard north-coast forces and Turkish amphibious forces with air and sea support.

Here is the information I am hoping to clarify:

1. Was the first landing at Pentemili or Lambousa?

2. There was a failed attempt to land on the northern coast. Where was this?

3. Two National Guard jeeps with M40A1 recoiless rifles were knocked out in the opening assault. Does anyone know which battalion were these, and any details?

4. Prior to 14.00 hours, were there any engagements at the beachhead, surrounding area, apart from air-defences?

5. ACIG.org lists a variety of engagements between CNG AA positions and THK aircraft during July 20th, does anyone have their own details? I am trying to establish an orbat of CNG AA positions, but so far is vague, these include:

419MPA
420MPA

419MPA possibly had some antennaes and AA guns near Kokkinotrimithia, and there were certainly defences with the radars at Mt Kormakitis and Mt Kantara, as well as naval port at Kyrenia. Does anyone have better information? Were the armaments M55 12.7mm quadruple, Bofors 20mm , Bofors 40mm???

6. There was a major engagement at around 14.00 hours between CNG north-coast forces and the Turkish landing group. This reportedly comprised seven "tanks", plus a further two "tanks" were destroyed in a Kyrenia stadium (which one???).

Were all nine armoured vehicles T-34/85 MBT's? There could have been BTR-152V1's and Marmon Herrington Mk-IVF's in the area, and I believe that at least two BTR-152V1's were lost in that area. Can anyone clarify the exact deployment?

Also, I read somewhere that the 251/252TP (there is contradiction of the designation) which was in the area, had been given 5 T-34/85 tanks from the 23EMA prior to July 15th. If so, were these the only T-34's in the area, or were there in fact more T-34's than this - either by the 251/252TP, or the 23EMA?

7. What were the Turkish losses in the 14.00hrs engagement? I read one M40A1 106mm and one M18A1 57mm. Does anyone have a more detailed account, including personnel? There were some reports that Turkish naval shots fell short onto the landing force, is this correct?

8. Two T-34's were evacuated by their crews. A photograph showed one (the lead tank) with a hole in its turret, stopped on a Kyrenia road. What was the story with these vehicles? I read that the Turkish troops shot up the external fuel tanks to make the vehicles run out of fuel.

9. What are the best information sources on this engagement?

10. What was going on in Kyrenia, the harbour area, and the castle, during July 20th. Was this where the T1 and T3 motor torpedo boats departed from?

11. Does anyone have a detailed account of the T1 and T3 engagement, or a source?


Thanx. I look forward to any contributions.

Nightfire

Hello Nightfire,

Some quick answers to the best of my knowledge. Most of my information is from Turkish books or articles regarding the operation:

[QUOTE]1. Was the first landing at Pentemili or Lambousa? [/QUOTE]

In Turkish, the name of the beach was "Platini" 7.5km west of Girne (Kyrenia).

[QUOTE]2. There was a failed attempt to land on the northern coast. Where was this?[/QUOTE]

Don't know about this. I know the landing beach was decided upon only a day, if not a few hours, before the actual landings.

[QUOTE]4. Prior to 14.00 hours, were there any engagements at the beachhead, surrounding area, apart from air-defences? [/QUOTE]

Yes. A thirty-one man team of navy seals (21 SAT and 10 SAS) in rubber rafts were dropped off at around 0500 hours by small patrol craft in the harbour at Platini to clear possible mines. The patrol craft came under mortar fire by a lone guard/reservist near a hotel on the beach which also awakened other reservists who also began firing with small arms. The patrol craft returned suppresive fire with 20mm Oerlikon while the mortar was eliminated by a 3 salvo counter barrage from an offshore destroyer. The navy seals found no mines and marked potential obstacles (like concrete blocks etc.) for the landing ships to avoid and all returned to their patrol craft safely.

[QUOTE]6. There was a major engagement at around 14.00 hours between CNG north-coast forces and the Turkish landing group. This reportedly comprised seven "tanks", plus a further two "tanks" were destroyed in a Kyrenia stadium (which one???).[QUOTE]

As far as I know seven T-34 tanks engaged the landing force of which 5 were destroyed by LAW/recoilless and the remaining 2 were abandoned. An unspecified number of "armored vehicles" were destroyed in the stadium by air support from the THK.

[QUOTE]7. What were the Turkish losses in the 14.00hrs engagement? I read one M40A1 106mm and one M18A1 57mm. Does anyone have a more detailed account, including personnel? There were some reports that Turkish naval shots fell short onto the landing force, is this correct?[/QUOTE]

The mentioned recoilless teams were all killed (by T-34 tank fire). Also the commander of the 50th regiment, Colonal Ibrahim Karaoglanoglu, was killed by an enemy bazooka round while setting up makeshift HQ inland of the beachhead. Altogethor I do not know the total casualty count.

[QUOTE] 10. What was going on in Kyrenia, the harbour area, and the castle, during July 20th. Was this where the T1 and T3 motor torpedo boats departed from?

11. Does anyone have a detailed account of the T1 and T3 engagement, or a source? [/QUOTE]

I don't know if these were the same boats, but what I recall from what I read, during the landing 2 torpedo boats were seen crossing at high speed (possibly trying to escape) between the landing craft and the destroyers offshore. The two sides apparently did not engage each other, rather the boats were destroyed from the air by THK aircraft.

Thanks Efeler; do you know of any war museum pics from Kyrenia other than those at acig.org?

Also, I recall seeing pictures of two torpedo boats on show at Golcuck, I think you posted over at WAFF forum. What was the story behind these? Were they at Boghazi perhaps?

Also, I was wondering if you knew the story behind a Do-28 of the Turkish Army which was reportedly lost during a covert mission on the 20th of July 1974. What was that mission, and what happened, do you know?

Thanks again.

Hello Nightfire,

Some museum pics I've come across though the displays are mostly of small arms (some were captured).

Erenkoy Museum:




Milli Mucadele Museum (National Resistance Museum):
That's a US colonal visiting in the picture

Kibris Baris Harekati (Cyprus Peace Operation) Museum:



Weapons captured from the G/C National Guard:




As for your other questions, I have not heard about the story of the Do-28. Can you tell me more about this?

Regarding the torpedo boats, yes there are two on display in Golcuk though I don't know the story behind how they were captured. I had also once before come across a picture of Turkish troops pulling ashore a damaged small patrol craft with ropes. Again, don't know the full story.

When I have time I will find the articles of the 2 patrol boats that were engaged and destroyed from the air (airforce point of view and navy point of view). It may take me about a week as a lot of my books and articles are stored away in boxes.

Regards.

Erol Mutercimler's book is one of the most detailed about the Peace Operation. there is a new and extended version printed in 2003 which also includes the political and social background of Cyprus problem as well as the military conflict.

I dont know if the book was printed in English but i recomend reading it for the details of the military operation, told from Turkish perspective.

Yep, I have that book too Beleg. It's probably one of the best, if not the only, depicting the operation in detail (mostly the preparations and actual air/sea landings).

I also have articles/interviews that were released by Hurriyet many years ago depicting the events that led up to the tragic sinking of the Kocatepe. Including a full interview with the captain of the ship as well as a pilot involved in the attack.

There are also some articles appearing in Savunma ve Havacilik from time to time, including one on one of the other destroyers (I think it was M.F.Cakmak) damaged in the air assualt. Included were some pictures of the ship after returning to dock with rocket and shrapnel damage at various locations.

Is that book availlebel in english or german...?
Cause the few books about the operation that i have read were from Ali Birant...
among the other greek version books...
somewere i have the whole info about the Torpedo boats ( unfortune only in greek)

Regards

Lord, the book is called:

"Bilinmeyen Yonleriyle Kibris Baris Harekati"
("Unknown methods of the Cyprus Peace Operation")

by Erol Mutercimler
published by Arba Yayinlari (Arba Publishing)



Very interesting and detailed regarding military preperations and landings by sea and air. Also detailed description of the Kocatepe incident. I don't know however if it is published in any other languages.

Mehmet Ali Birand's book "30 Sicak Gun" (30 Hot Days) meanwhile is, I believe, based more on political events rather then military.

Many thanks for the very useful contribution Efeler. That is much appreciated.

As for the Do-28, my understanding is that there was a clandestine mission on the 20th of July of 1974, though the nature of it, I have heard two versions. One said it was an assasination group of special paratroopers, but the other said that it was a simple group of recce paratroopers. It supposedly came down, according to acig.org, dont know if to AAA or not.

Thanks again.

Many thanks for the very useful contribution Efeler. That is much appreciated.

As for the Do-28, my understanding is that there was a clandestine mission on the 20th of July of 1974, though the nature of it, I have heard two versions. One said it was an assasination group of special paratroopers, but the other said that it was a simple group of recce paratroopers. It supposedly came down, according to acig.org, dont know if to AAA or not.

Thanks again.